GUIDE TO PLANNING A FUNERAL
Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult times that someone experiences in their lifetime. There are time sensitive decisions to be made along with preparations and arrangements, all whilst dealing with the grief of losing a loved one.
Here is a guide to help you navigate your way through this, and ensuring nothing important is forgotten.
Who to notify first
A medical professional, such as a doctor, nurse, or paramedic, will need to confirm the death and issue a medical certificate of cause of death. This certificate is required to register the death with the relevant government authorities.
If the death is unexpected, then the Police will become involved. This is a normal part of the process.
If the deceased is an organ donor, the next of kin or family members will be contacted and asked to provide consent.
Notify family & close friends
Family and friends should be notified of the death as soon as possible.
There is no right or wrong way to do this. This can be done in person or by phone, text messages or social media posts. Sharing this task with other family members can help. It’s also a good idea to let the workplace of the deceased know.
Arrangements
Find and review the Will and/or prepaid funeral plan along with other paperwork that details your loved one’s wishes.
Make arrangements for dependents, pets and property
Seek immediate care for dependents and pets while long term solutions are being worked through.
Redirect any mail to an alternative address if possible.
Notify any relevant organisations, such as the deceased's insurance company and bank.
Cremation or Burial and funeral options
Consider the type of funeral ceremony you would like for your loved one. Do you want a traditional burial or cremation, a religious or non-religious service and how would they want to be remembered? If your loved one had specific wishes, you may want to honour these.
Choose a funeral director or a business/organisation that offers cremations or direct cremations. Direct cremations are performed immediately after a loved one passes away. The ashes are then returned to the family and usually, a celebration of life event is held afterwards.
Selecting a coffin/casket or urn for the deceased will depend on your budget, preferences, religion and environmental concerns.
Do you want a viewing? These are normally conducted at the family home or another appropriate location. This is a chance to say a final goodbye.
Funeral directors offer a variety of services and packages. When choosing the right funeral director, it helps to write a list of questions you may have. Or perhaps your loved one has already expressed their wishes as to who they want.
Alternatively, you can have a direct cremation, followed by a Celebration of life event. You can have a memorial at this event with a Celebrant or MC, or something less formal. These tend to be a more meaningful send-off as they provide a unique send-off that truly reflects the personality and interests of your loved one.
Celebrating their life
Celebration of Life events are becoming more and more popular. These can be held after a service or at a later stage when the timing is right for you and your family. A Celebration of Life event is a chance to honour your loved one in a truly unique way, ensuring a meaningful send-off.
Celebration of Life events can also be held for Living Wakes, where the person is still able to attend their own wake and be a part of it, sharing stories whilst listening to others share stories about them.
Contact Celebration of Life Events to see how we can help you.
Partnered with funeral providers
At Celebration of Life Events, we have partnered up with several funeral providers for burials, cremations and direct cremations. These providers will arrange transportation, medical/legal documents including the death certificate, mortuary services, cremation (eco-friendly coffin), and the return of ashes in an urn. This allows families to have a celebration of life event afterwards or a scattering of ashes ceremony. This can be done at any time and when the family are ready.
Contact Celebration of Life Events to see how we can help you.
There is no right or wrong way when planning a funeral. The most important thing is celebrating the life of your loved one in a meaningful way, that reflects their personality, interests and the impact they had on others, whether that’s small and intimate or big and grand.
